The Pole and the Hyperborean Region (RATMW 24)

In chapter 24 of Revolt Against the Modern World, Julius Evola provides a brief overview of the notion of polar/hyperborean region as the origin of higher mankind in the myths of different traditional cultures around the world. The references are either to a place that lies “higher” or surrounded by water; besides this, there are also legends and data indicating an origin and center of the world (in the spiritual sense) up North.

“Aryan texts from India, such as the Vedas and the Mahābhārata preserve the memory of the Artic seat through astronomical and calendar-related allusions that cannot be understood other than through an actual reference to such a seat.”

—Julius Evola, Revolt Against the Modern World, Chapter 24: ‘The Pole and the Hyperborean Region’

It is important, however, to distinguish between legends containing this Artic theme, which Evola calls ‘the mystery of the North’, from those that make allusions to an Atlantic theme, which Evola calls ‘the mystery of the West’, because although related and often confused, they have different origins and overall meanings. The first cycle is supposed to have come to an end because of a tilting of the axis of the earth1 and was followed by a second cycle which Evola terms “the Atlantic cycle”, because of the dominance of a (now) West-oriented origin/center of spiritual/higher mankind.

Here follows a summary table of some of the references that Evola makes to different traditions regarding this idea.